160 
A TOUR THROUGH SPAIN. 
July, 1890. 
Beilis sylvestris, Eeballium Elaterium, Oxalis cernua, and many 
species of Vicia, Lathyrus, Medicago, Scorpiurus, Coronilla, 
Genista, Cytisus, Ferula, Thapsus, Trifolium , etc., etc. 
Gibraltar yielded, considering the dryness of the rock, a 
large number of species, inclusive of Lavandula dentata, 
Ophrys lutea, Stachys hirta, Cerastium gibraltaricum, Saxifraga 
gibraltarica, Mercurialis ambigua, Iberis gibraltarica, Phytolacca 
decandra, Ruscus Hypoglossum, Arisarum vulgare, Statice 
emarginata, Linaria tristis, Phagnalon saxatile, Fedia Cornu- 
copice, Mesembryanthemum, Eeballium Elaterium, Teucrium 
lucidum, Stachys circinata , etc., etc. The view from the rock 
summit was very fine, Ceuta and the African coast being 
plainly seen. So fascinating had proved the coast walk that 
it was again traversed, and so, too, was the seventy miles’ 
drive to San Fernando, by Tarifa and Medina Sidonia. From 
San Fernando, Xeres (the great centre of the sherry district) 
was visited, and then Seville was revisited for the attractions 
of Holy Week, after which Madrid was made the next stopping 
place. Here the magnificent picture gallery—second to none 
in the world—proved a formidable rival to botany, especially 
as all the drying.paper had long ago been used up. The 
extensive Botanic Gardens were a desert, a cyclone destroyed 
them in a few minutes some years ago. Toledo, the seat of the 
Primate of Spain, proved an interesting town ; but the once 
celebrated Toledo steel is now but little manufactured, and 
the city has probably dwindled to a tenth of its former impor¬ 
tance. By the Tagus, on which it stands, were gathered 
Hutchinsia petrcea, Holosteum umbellatum , Mibora minima, 
Thlaspi perfoliatum, Lamium maculatum, etc. Burgos, the 
next resting-place, was rendered unpleasant by the biting cold, 
doubly felt after the almost tropical weather which had been 
previously experienced, but the pleasure of seeing the splendid 
Gothic Cathedral compensated for the weather. The district 
round is very sterile and ugly. San Sebastian, on the Bay of 
Biscay, was much enjoyed. The scenery of the north-western 
Pyrenees is grand and the climate pleasant. The flora 
around is rich and varied. The lower slopes of the moun¬ 
tains were blue with the lovely flowers of Lithospermum prostra¬ 
tum, or studded with Potentilla alba. Here and there were 
seen Narcissus Bulbocodium, the beautiful Pinguiculagrandiflora, 
and Pulmonaria. Smilax mauritanica, Helleborus viridis, 
Asplenium acutum, Erica mediterranea, Sibthorpia europcea, 
Primula elatior , Symphytum tuberosum, Scilla bifolia, and 
Corydalis were also noticed. The writer was present there 
on the occasion of the visit of Her Majesty this year, when 
the town presented a remarkable sight. 
